Nicaragua took a bow on the world stage this month after agreeing to join the Paris climate accord. But at home, the government is taking heat from environmental and human rights advocates for insisting that plans for a 175-mile (281-km) trans-isthmus canal project are still alive. The applause came Nov. 6, just before the latest round of U.N. climate talks got underway, when Nicaragua announced it was joining the Paris agreement and its voluntary effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. With Syria’s recent announcement that it, too, would endorse the accord, the United States is now the only country in the world refusing to participate in the Paris agreement. “We welcome Nicaragua’s announcement, which further underscores the commitment of the international community... [Log in to read more]